Cartoner



A ril 21, 1970 c, MIZELLE ET AL 3,507,088

CARTQNER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June' 21, 1967 INVENTORS ,qm/fl/v a. 41/2544:

P055970. G/ZLESP/E ATTORNEYS 'A ril 21, 1970 A. c. MIZELLE ET j 3,507,088

CARTONER Filed June 21. 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet z g b 41., m 72 -ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,507,088 CARTONER Adrian C. Mizelle and Robert D. Gillespie, Petersburg,

Va., assignors to Brown and Williamson Tobacco Corporation, Louisville, Ky., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 21, 1967, Ser. No. 647,743 Int. Cl. B65b 11/12, 49/08, 61/20 US. C]. 53-53 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A cartoner for automatically enclosing a group of packages, such as cigarette packages, within a carton blank and sealing the blank. This apparatus is used with a carton blank having a top and side end tabs to automatically, quickly and efiiciently seal this type of carton blank around a group of packages to obtain a low cost carton of packages.

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the packaging art, particularly the cigarette packaging art, it is desirable to bind a group of packages in a carton for handling, working and shipping purposes. The apparatus for folding and sealing the carton blank must be adequate to automatically, quickly and efficiently fold and seal carton blanks having particular shapes. A favorite shape of carton in common use is one which employs top end flaps, and side end tabs. This type of carton can be easily and efiiciently folded and sealed.

Therefore, it would be advantageous to have an automatic cartoning apparatus which includes means for additionally folding the end tabs and top end flaps of such a carton thereby providing a fast, efficient and low cost method and means for enclosing a group of packages with such a carton.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The cartoning apparatus includes a table support having an assembly station at which the selected number of packages of cigarettes or similar articles, ordinarily taken to be ten, are forced into a carton blank through the actuation of a horizontally reciprocal plunger. A blank hopper or magazine station automatically stacks and permits feeding of individual blanks in a predetermined manner and sequence to the assembly station. The packages, on the other hand, are automatically received from the cellophane wrapping machines and conveyed to the apparatus. In order to maintain the carton tucking apparatus operational at optimum efficiency, a sufficient collation of packages are available for feeding into the carton. An automatically actuated elevator assembly serves to sequentially elevate five packages at a time so that eventually fifteen packages in horizontal rows of five, five packages on top of another, are poised and determinative of the operation of the horizontally reciprocal plunger. This action of the plunger initiates the folding of the carton blank whereby the leading ends and the uppermost face as well as the bottom face are embraced by the initial fold of the blank. The forward end tab of the carton is also folded at this time as the packages and partially folded carton blank are placed at the first plunge station at which glue or paste is applied to the exterior of the trailing side bottom flap. The trailing side lower flap is folded upwardly and the trailing side top flap is folded downwardly to thereby cause the flaps to overlap and be adhered to one another by the applied paste. The rear end tab is then folded forward. The partially wrapped packages are then moved to the second plunge station upon the next reciprocation of the plunger assembly. While at this station and during retraction of the plunger paste is applied to the interior top end flaps. Thereafter, the partially enclosed group of packages are moved to the third plunge station at which the top end flaps are folded downwardly to place the end flaps in contact with the rear and forward end tabs in a secure manner by means of the interposed adhesive. The completely wrapped packages of cigarettes are then fed to the discharge station upon a predetermined number of reciprocations of the plunger assembly whereupon a predetermined number of cartons are placed in boxes for commercial shipment. Prior to this and in timed relationship with the movement of the cartons, a date and code stamp is applied to the ends of the carton.

It is therefore a principal object of this invention to provide an improved cartoning apparatus for enclosing a group of packages within a particularly shaped carton blank for protection during shipment, handling and storage. A machine is provided which will produce a substantial saving in labor cost and in the time required for enclosing the group of packages within the particularly shaped carton.

Numerous other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description which is to be taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating a somewhat preferred embodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an exploded fragmentary and diagrammatic view illustrating the sequence of operation performed by the carton tucking apparatus of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the rear end tab tucking apparatus employed as part of the apparatus of this invention;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic and fragmentary view showing the manner in which two rows of wrapped cigarette packages are plunged into the relatively flat carton blank during the assembly process;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view showing the manner in which the blank is initially folded about the packages with the forward end tab shown folded rearwardly at this time;

FIG. 5 is another diagrammatic view showing the folding upwardly of the trailing side lower flap, following the application of paste to the exterior thereof;

FIG. 6 is a similar diagrammatic view showing the folding downwardly of the trailing side upper flap into engagement with the lower flap and securement thereto by means of the interposed adhesive;

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic showing the folding forward of the rear end tab;

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic view showing in phantom the application of paste to the upper end flaps;

FIG. 9 is a similar view showing the manner in which the flaps are subsequently folded downward into engagement with the rear and forward end tabs to form the complete carton of cigarettes.

In general, in the drawings a cartoning machine 20 incorporating teachings of this invention, is illustrated and is supported primarily by means of a table or chassis.

The machine 20 includes a carton blank stacking and feeding station 22 adapted to mount a plurality of upwardly extending and slightly inclined stacked carton blanks 24. The mechanism at the discharge end of this station 22 cooperates in feeding a Single blank at a time along a downwardly transcending path to an assembly station 26 at which the lowered blank 24 is adapted to receive two stacked rows of five packages each of wrapped cigarette packages 28. These packages originate from a cigarette package feeding station 30 adapted to have a sufficient number of wrapped cigarette packages ready for feeding into the assembly station 26. The package feeding station 30 may be conveniently coupled with the discharge end of one or more cigarette packaging wrappings lines adapted to package cigarettes and wrap the individual packages in cellophane. An interposed conveyor network may form this connection and may be in the nature of a pneumatic conveying system. The packages 28 are fed in a continuous stream into the apparatus 20 whereupon an elevator assembly 32 elevates five packages at a time. Two more rows of five are eventually similarly elevated to raise the previous row whereupon a horizontally recip rocal plunger assembly 34 drives the top two rows of ten packages of cigarettes into the lowered carton blank 24 at the assembly station 26. This plunger assembly continues to move the group of ten packages, together with the lowered blank 24 from the assembly station 26 to the first plunge or carton folding station 36 at which the carton is folded over the top and bottom faces of the group of packages such that the forward end of the group is covered by the forward end panel 38, the top of the group is covered by the top panel 40 and the bottom of the group is covered by the bottom panel 42 of the carton blank 24 while, at the same time, the forward end tabs 44 are folded rearwardly. Further movement of this partially enclosed group of ten packages to the next plunge station is dictated by the feeding of another assembled group of packages and lowered blank into folding station 36. A predetermined pattern of adhesive is now applied to the underside of the trailing side bottom flap 46. The trailing side bottom flap 46 is then folded upwardly and the trailing top side flap 48 is subsequently folded downwardly upon the exterior of the upwardly folded trailing side bottom flap 46 and secured thereto by the interposed adhesive. This sequence of flap pasting and folding is accomplished, respectively, by the trailing side bottom flap paster 50, the trailing side bottom flap folder mechanism 52 and the trailing side top flap folder 54. The folding of forward end tab 44 is accomplished by means of end plates 56 before the sealing of the trailing side flaps. The rear end tab 58 is folded forwardly by means of tucking mechanism 60 after the sealing of the trailing side flaps. Thereafter, the packages and blank are moved to the second plunge station. During the retraction of the plunger, a predetermined pattern of adhesive is applied to the undersurface of top end flaps 62 by the paster 64. The continued movement of the plunger assembly 34 will eventually place the partially enclosed carton at the third plunge or top end flap folding station 66. At this station, the top end flap 62 will be folded downwardly upon rear end tab 58 and forward end tab 44 by the top end flap folder mechanism 68. Further movement of the entire wrapped group of cigarette packages will be dictated by the next reciprocal movement of the plunger assembly 34 to feed another assembled group of cigarette packages 28 and carton blank 24 from the assembly station 26. In accordance with the disclosed embodiment, a number of such plunger reciprocations will place the totally wrapped group of packages in the folded carton 70 at the code and date applying station 72 at which the selected code and date are stamped at both ends of the carton by a pair of opposed cooperating marking mechanisms 74 and 76. Thereafter the completed carton 70 of cigarettes or other articles may be automatically or manually placed into boxes for eventual commercial shipment.

In reference to carton blank stacking, attention is directed to the blank hopper and feeding station 22 at which the blanks 26 are vertically stacked and then individually fed downwardly to the assembly station 26. The particular detailed elements of operation of the carton blank stacking equipment is similar to that disclosed in the previously mentioned Patent No. 3,405,503, particularly, from column 5, line 4 to column 6, line 7 and as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 12, 13, 14 and 15. Basically, the carton blanks 22 are stacked on an agitator assembly 78. The lower portion of each blank is tipped slightly forward to facilitate its removal from the agitator assembly 78. The lower edge of each blank 22 rests on base strips and 82 which are agitated by rotation of shafts 84 and 86 which have reduced sections thereof to provide the agitation as they rotate.

The forwardmost blank 22 is removed from the stack by means of suction cups 88 and 90. These cups are connected to a source of suction by means of tube 92 and 94. They are moved into and away from contact with the carton blank by means of downwardly depending arms 96 and 98 to which they are attached. The upward end of each downwardly arm is pivotally connected to pivotal shaft 100 to allow movement of suction cups 88 and into and away from contact with the forwardmost carton blank 24.

As carton blank 24 is pulled free of base strips 82 and 80 it will fall free, as suction is removed, downwardly into a stationary rotatable roller and cam assembly 102 wh1ch guides the carton blank into proper position for assembly with a group of ten packages of cigarettes. The operation of this roller and cam assembly in detail is described in the above mentioned Patent No. 3,405,503, particularly, in column 6, lines 972 and as shown in FIGS. 2, 4, 15, 19 and 20. The entire operation of carton blank feeding and control is synchronized with the operation of plunger assembly 34 to facilitate the supply of a carton blank for each group of ten packages as they are delivered to the assembly area. Similar control means are employed as in previous related applications to prevent a carton blank from being lowered while the plunger assembly 34 is in a forward position.

Referring now to the wrapped cigarette package feeding station 30, it is preferred to maintain a continuous supply of packages for optimum operating conditions of the cartoning apparatus, and under these circumstances, a buildup of packages 28 will occur on the continuously moving belt conveyor 104. A conveniently located switch 106 may be employed to maintain the elevator assembly 32 temporarily non-operational until a sufficient number of packages 28 are present for feeding into the carton tucking apparatus 20. Ordinarily, these packages will be received on the conveyor 104 from cigarette packaging and wrappings lines from which cellophane wrapped cigarette packages are discharged. The manner of transporting the packages from the cellophane wrapping machines to the conceyor does not constitute part of this invention but could readily be accomplished by means of a pneumatic conveying system.

Thus, the wrapped cigarette package feeding station 30 operates to direct and feed the packages into the cartoning apparatus 20 and, in accordance with the instant embodiment, five of these packages will be received at a time by the elevator assembly 32. In this connection the five packages directed onto the elevator platform 108 are elevated as a group upon signal generated upon the actuation of microswitch 110. The vertical reciprocation of elevator platform 108 is accomplished by means of the air cylinder 112 from which extends the piston rod 114 coupled directly to the platform 108. Each group of five packages received on the platform 108 are elevated upwardly through and above a pair of outwardly pivotal plates 116 and 118 which are spring biased in an inwardly or convergent direction. In this manner, upon retraction of the elevator platform 108, the group of five packages 28 Will be retained by the upper edge of the plates 116 and 118. The more particular construction of elevator assembly 32 is similar to that described in the above mentioned Patent No. 3,405,503, particularly, from column 6, line 75 to column 7, line 50 and as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 16, 17 and 18. In the disclosed embodiment, the elevator mechanism 32 will operate to elevate three rows of five packages before the upper two rows are fed into the lowered carton blank 24 by the plunger assembly 30.

Turning now to the horizontally reciprocal plunger as sembly 34, it will be appreciated that it is adapted to move in a forward direction to engage the upper two elevated rows of packages supported by the plates 116 and 118. The actuation of the plunger assembly 34 is dictated by the actuation of the microswitch 120 engaged by the uppermost stack of packages supported by the pivotal plates 106 and 118. Upon actuation of the plunger assembly 34 a plunger plate 122 will engage the upper two rows of packages and feed them forwardly into the lowered carton blank 24 such that the leading ends of the packages engage the panel 38 of the blank 24. The plunger will continue its forward movement and, consequently, move the ten packages together with the engaged blank 24 into carton folding station 36. The plunger plate 122 will thereafter be retracted to its original starting position. The forward reciprocation and retraction of the plunger plate 122 is accomplished by means of the air cylinder assembly 124 from the forward end of which extends the piston rod 126 coupled directly with the plate.

Immediately upon retraction of the plate 122, another carton blank 24 will be lowered and the plunger assembly 34 will be paused and ready for its next reciprocatory cycle bearing in mind that the feeding of the packages 28 and the operation of the elevator mechanism 32 is still in process.

As the group of ten packages and lowered carton blank 24 are driven into folding station 36, the carton top panel 40 will be folded downwardly upon the upper face of the group while the lower panel 42 will be folded upwardly into engagement with the lower face of the group of ten packages. The forward end tab 44 will be folded rearwardly by means of end plates 56 and the partially folded carton blank and contained group of ten packages will come to rest at the trailing side flap pasting and folding station.

At this station, the pasting mechanism 59 is initially operated to apply a predetermined pattern of glue to the underside of the bottom flap 46'. This occurs immediately upon the partially folded blank 24 and contained group of ten packages 28 coming to rest at the trailing side flap pasting and folding station. Toward this end, a pasting arrangement similar to that disclosed in the related previously referred to pending patent application is utilized. In general, a paste pot is conveniently mounted by the chassis and is adapted to contain a suitable amount .of the selected paste for adhering flaps 4-6 and 48 to one another. A rod shaped applicator is disposed over the pot and is adapted to have its applicator head be immersed into the contained paste and then retracted therefrom such that the head applies a spot of paste to the outer face of the bottom flap 46. Toward this end, the applicator rod is keyed to a shaft suitably journalled at its ends for rotation. One of the shaft ends is keyed to arm 128 which, in turn, is pivotally connected with the outer free end of a piston rod 130 extending from air cylinder132. Operation of this cylinder on signal result in a desired pattern of paste being applied to the trailing bottom side flap 46. This pattern need only be in the form of a circular spot.

Immediately following the application of the paste spot by the applicator head, the trailing bottom flap 46 is folded upwardly and thereafter the trailing top flap 48 is folded downwardly to cause these flaps to be interconnected by means of the paste spot. Thus, the bottom trailing flap folding plate 52 is adapted to be shifted upwardly to have its top edge engage the bottom flap 46 and continue this movement until the flap is firmly against the trailing end of the group of ten packages. The top flap folding plate 54 is shifted upwardly while the lower plate 52 is shifted upwardly and will be moved downwardly when the lower plate 52 is retracted. These movements are synchronized with one another through a gear and sprocket timing arrangement. This synchronized movement is accomplished by the employment of structure illustrated in the above mentioned related applications. Under this type of mechanism, the upper plate will remain in a lowered position after the folding the top flap 48 downwardly to maintain the folded relationship between flaps 46 and 48 and the interposed paste in contact with each until such time as the paste will maintain the relationship alone. The parially enclosed carton and group of packages is then brought into contact with rear tab tucking mechanism 60. As can be seen in FIG. 2, this tucking mechanism 60 is comprised principally of air cylinder 138 from which extends reciprocal piston 136. Pivotally mounted on the forward end of piston 136 is tucking arm 134 additionally fixed at point 137 so that it may rotate about point 137. Upon the rearward stroke of piston 132 arm 134 will assume a lowered or horizontal position to allow the passage of the partially enclosed carton above. When the carton is in the proper position hinged tucking arm 134 will rotate about point 137 to the upright or vertical position upon the forward stroke of piston 132 and will come into contact with rear end tab 58 and properly fold it into contact with the end of the enclosed packages 24. The arm 134 is then again lowered as the piston 132 is retracted in anticipation of the next partiall enclosed carton. As the next partially enclosed carton is placed in abutting relationship with partially enclosed carton 24 and packages 28, due to the next reciprocation of the plunger, the carton 24 and container packages 28 will be shifted to the next plunge station.

The end flap paster 64 is actuated during the retraction of the plunger assembly 34 to apply the desired pattern of paste to the top end flap 62. A paster assembly is contemplated in accordance with the above mentioned re lated applications. Basically, each of the paster assemblies 64 includes a paste receptacle 140. A vertically reciprocal applicator 142 is disposed in associated receptacle and when in a retracted position, is immersed in the contained adhesive. The applicator is connected with the upper end of a piston rod 144 biased in a retracted position by means of spring 146. The piston rod 144 extends from the air cylinder 148 suitably bracketed to the machine chassis. Upon actuation of air cylinder 148, the piston 144 is forced upwardly whereupon the applicator 142 with adhesive is extended upwardly into engagement with the inner face of the top end flap 62.

Following the application of the adhesive to the top end flaps 62, the partially folded carton 24 is moved to the top end flap folding station 68. At this station each of the top end flaps 62 are folded downwardly by pivotal folding plates 150; and thereafter the folded top flaps are maintained in this position by the plates until such time as the reciprocal plunger assembly 34 is actuated again. The plates 150, under these circumstances, will be pivoted to a raised position at which they are disposed in a substantially horizontal plane. The pivotal movement of each plate 150 is obtained through the actuation of an associated air cylinder 152. When the piston rod 154 is fully extended, the associated flap 150 is disposed in its raised horizontal position through the cooperation of a rack 156 connected with the end of the piston rod 154 and pinion gear 158 keyed with the associated flap 150 and rotatable on the suitably journalled shaft 160. Upon retraction of the piston rod 154, the rack and pinion mechanism 156-160 will lower the folding plate 150 about the mounting shaft 160. It should be understood that a static or stationary folding mechanism may be substituted for the movable flap folding plate 150 for folding top end flap 62 downwardly.

The now completely folded carton 24 and encased group of ten cigarette packages 28 arranged in two rows of five packages are shifted to the coding and dating station 72 either upon the next reciprocation of the plunger assembly 34 or after a predetermined number of such reciprocations as is contemplated by the illustrated embodiment. Thus, the coding and dating station 72 located downstream of the top end flap folding station 68 operates to apply a suitable code and/ or date to the outer face of the top end flaps 62 of the completed carton 70. Toward this end, stamping mechanism 74 and 76 operate to apply the select indicia and information and each of these mechanisms is operated by associated air cylinders suitably bracketed to the machine chassis. A detailed description of the operation of stamping mechanisms 74 and 76 is presented in the above mentioned Patent No. 3,405,503, particularly, from column 9, line 53 to column 10, line 13 and as shown in Figures 2, 28, 29, and 31.

After the selected code and date have been applied to the carton top end flap 62, the cartons may be removed from the apparatus 20 and suitably packaged for commercial shipment and distribution.

The timing and synchronization of the operation of the mechanism at each of the stations are determined by any one of a number of arrangements including the schematically illustrated arrangement in related Patent No. 3,405,503, particularly in Figures 1 and 2 and as described in claim 10, lines 18-34.

In the event redemption coupons are to be placed in the carton 70 together with the ten cigarette packages 28, a coupon attachment may also form an optional part of the cartoning machine which will require minor modifications to accept this attachment. Such an arrangement may be similar to that disclosed in the above mentioned related Cartoner Patent No. 3,405,503, in particular, from column 10, line 36 to column 11, line 22 and as shown in FIGS. 32, 33, 34, and 36.

In summary, the above cycle of operation in handling of wrapped cigarette packages and carton blanks is repeated in accordance with the time sequence. Thus, the wrapped cigarette packages 28 continue to be fed to the elevator assembly 32 where groups of five packages elevated as a leading pack of each group trips switch 110. When the third group of five packages is thus raised and thereafter supported by means of the plates 116 and 118 of the elevator assembly 32, switch 120 is actuated by the upper face of the first package 28 of the top row. Thereafter, the plunger assembly 34 is actuated to feed the top two groups of packages into the lowered carton blank 24 supported at the assembly station 26. The plunger assembly 34 will continue to feed the ten packages and carton blank into the initial folding station at which time the carton blank top panel and bottom panel 42 will be folded into engagement with the top face of the upper row of packages and the bottom face of the lower row of packages, respectively, while the leading end of the packages is engaged with the carton front panel 38. Folding plates at this station will force the carton forward end tab 44 rearwardly. The bottom trailing side flap 46 will now receive a spot of glue through the actuation of the top trailing side flap paster 50. Immediately thereafter, the trailing flap folding assemblies 52 and 54, respectively, fold the bottom trailing flap 46 and top trailing flap 48 into engagement with one another about the trailing end of the enclosed cigarette packages. Tucking mechanism is then actuated to fold rear end tabs 58 forwardly into contact with the packages. The next actuation of the plunger assembly will place the carton at the second plunge station. During retraction of the plunger assembly 34, the top end pasting mechanism 64 is actuated to apply a spot of glue to the underface of the top end flap 62. The next reciprocation of the plunger assembly 34 will place the partially enclosed cigarette packages at the following downstream or third plunge station at which the top end molding mechanism 68 operates to fold the top end flaps 62 downwardly into engagement with the already folded rear and forward end tabs. Following a predetermined number of further reciprocations of the plunger assembly 34, the code and dating station 72 is reached at which the stamp ing mechanism 74 and 76 apply the selected indicia. The cartons are then fully folded and the enclosed packages suitably encased and ready to be shipped and distributed commercially.

Thus, the several aforenoted objects and advantages are most effectively attained. Although a single somewhat preferred embodiment has been disclosed and described in detail herein, it should be understood that this invention is in no sense limited thereby but is to be determined by the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A cartoning machine for enclosing a predetermined number of packages arranged in rows in a carton comprismg:

a support;

a hopper on said support for supporting and supplying substantially fiat carton blanks in stacked relationship, said blanks each having a leading panel, integral top and bottom panels, integral top end pannels, integral forward and rear end tabs, and integral top and bottom trailing flaps;

a package feeder means part of which is on said sup port for receiving and feeding packages;

a carton blank feeding means on the support for feeding a carton blank from the hopper to an initial location at which packages are assembled therewith;

blank support means on the support at said location for supporting a carton blank at said location;

an elevator means on the support for receiving a predetermined number of packages in a row and elevating said row to an elevated position;

package support means on said support for supporting elevated rows of packages;

plunger means on said support for moving a group of said packages constituting at least one elevated row of packages from said package support means into engagement with the carton blank at said initial location on the blank support means and then moving the engaged group and blank horizontally along a predetermined longitudinal axis and path of travel to a first location at which the blank is partially enclosed about the group; folding means for cooperating with the blank moving from said initial location to the first location such that the blank has the leading panel over one end of the group the top and bottom panels over the respective top and bottom faces of the roup, said blank having the trailing top and bottom flaps, top end flaps, and rear and forward end flaps in an extending position;

forward end tab folding means on the support in fixed position for folding the forward end tabs when said partially enclosed group is moved with respect thereto in engaging relationship;

trailing flap pasting means on the support for applying a predetermined pattern of paste to one of the trailing flaps;

trailing flap flooding means on the support for folding the trailing flaps upon one another with the pattern of paste therebetween, trailing flap holding means being automatically operated to fold the trailing flaps while the partially assembled packages and blank are at the first location, the trailing flap folding means including a pair of vertically reciprocal folding plates adapted to move from a first position away from the respective trailing flaps towards one another to a second position into engagement with the respective trailing flaps to fold the trailing flaps upon one another with the pattern of paste therebetween, means for actuating the trailing flap folding plates linearly between the first and second positions and to maintain one of said plates at the second position to maintain the folded relationship between the trailing flaps with the pattern of paste therebetween until another carton blank partially enclosing a group of packages is moved by the plunger means from the first initial location at which time said one of said trailing flap folding plates is reciprocated away from the trailing flaps and the lead panel of said another partially enclosing carton blank is moved into engagement with the folded trailing flaps and moved to the first location by the plunger means;

rear end tab folding means on the support for folding the rear end tabs including drive means, a reciprocally movable piston having one end mounted to said drive means, a tucking arm pivotally mounted on the other end of said piston and rotatably mounted on said support so that upon the stroke of the piston in one direction the tucking arm will pivot and rotate to a lowered position to allow the passage of the partially enclosed group above and when the partially enclosed group is in the desired position, upon the reciprocal stroke of said piston in the opposing direction the tucking arm will pivot and rotate in the opposite direction to an upright position into contact with said rear end tab and fold it into contact with the partially enclosed group;

end flap pasting means on the support for applying a further predetermined pattern of paste to the top end flaps; end flap folding means on the support for completing the folding of the carton by securing the end flaps by means of said further pattern of paste; and

mean for directing the partially enclosing blank in line and along said predetermined longitudinal axis and path of travel from location to location with each movement of the plunger means to complete the folding and assembly of the carton about the group of packages.

2. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein said hopper includes an agitation assembly for agitating the stacked blanks for maintaining the stacked relationship of the blanks in the hopper.

3. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the carton blank feeding means comprises a suction cup assembly for engaging a single blank in the hopper at a time and remove said blank from said hopper, and roller means for receiving the blank removed from the hopper by the suction cup means.

4. The invention in accordance with claim 3 wherein drive means synchronized with the operation of the plunger means drives the roller means to feed the blank to the support means.

5. The invention in accordance with claim 4 wherein said support means includes a pair of spaced plates biased toward one another and outwardly pivotal with respect to one another, said elevator means being so constructed and arranged to elevate each row of packages between said plates to pivot the plates outwardly and upon return of said elevator said plates are adapted to pivot inwardly to engage the underside of the elevated row of packages and support the row thereon.

6. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein drive means are provided for said plunger means operable upon the elevation of a predetermined number of rows of packages and synchronized with the operation of said elevator means.

7. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein coupon feeding means are on said support for feeding and coupling a coupon to each blank as it is fed from the hopper.

8. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein coupon feeding means are on said support for feeding and coupling to each blank as it is fed from the hopper and a missing coupon detector means for detecting a missing coupon on a blank for permitting subsequent removal of the carton having the missing coupon.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,268,474 12/1941 Chalmers 53l33 2,917,887 12/1959 Jackson 53-230 2,968,901 1/1961 Johnson 53-230 3,225,512 12/1965 Bulger et al. 53159 3,405,503 10/1968 Mizelle et al 5353 FOREIGN PATENTS 856,344 12/ 1960 Great Britain.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner N. ABRAMS, Asistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

